Banff travel guide

Banff Tourism | Banff Guide

You're Going to Love Banff

With a population of 7,502, Banff is a must-see destination in Alberta, Canada. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Banff has to offer.

Where to Eat in Banff

If you’re looking for affordable options, Hello Sunshine Japanese Restaurant (208 Wolf Street B) and Three Bears Brewery (205 Bear St) are great picks.

When to visit Banff

Banff in April
Estimated hotel price
C$ 240
1 night at 3-star hotel
Banff in April
Estimated hotel price
C$ 240
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Banff in July, when the average temperature is 15 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as -13 °C, with an average temperature of -9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 68 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Banff, with an average rainfall of 17 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Average
Celcius (°C)
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Banff

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 108 km from Banff. Calgary Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from WestJet, Air Canada, Air France and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Banff departs from Abbotsford and takes around 1h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car rental from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Turo and Avis, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Cold Shot, Red Arrow and Ebus. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.8 km from downtown Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.7 km from the city centre.

Airports near Banff

Airlines serving Banff

Lufthansa
Good (2,556 reviews)
KLM
Good (394 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (3,348 reviews)
British Airways
Good (1,727 reviews)
SWISS
Good (530 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (1,489 reviews)
Air France
Good (491 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (3,174 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (303 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (1,429 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (1,264 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (2,002 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (129 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (660 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (491 reviews)
Finnair
Good (777 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (466 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (3,044 reviews)
LOT
Good (395 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (129 reviews)
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Where to stay in Banff

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hi Banff Alpine Centre and Homestead Inn Banff.

Where to stay in popular areas of Banff

Most booked hotels in Banff

Moose Hotel and Suites
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
C$ 301+
Fairmont Banff Springs
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
C$ 551+
Castle Mountain Chalets
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
C$ 227+
The Rimrock Resort Hotel
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 324+
Fox Hotel And Suites
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
C$ 188+
Banff Park Lodge
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
C$ 157+
See all hotels

Renting a car in Banff

Renting a car in Banff costs C$ 96 per day, on average, or C$ 288 if you want to rent it for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 8% more expensive than at Calgary.

Expect to pay C$ 1.71 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 20.44 and C$ 27.25. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Compact (Toyota Corolla or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Class Economy Car or similar) are, on average, 54% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.